69 



object, assistance would be needed, information would be required 

 from the most intelligent class in each parish, especially physicians, 

 who travel about in the country, and whoso profession leads them 

 to botanical research. The University might by this means obtain 

 a cabinet of sections of wood of all the forest trees and shrubs 

 which grow in Louisiana. These sections should be in duplicate, 

 one in its natural state, and the other smoothed and highly polished 

 the skill of the artist. The quality of each species of wood, 

 unless already known and described in other works, should be ascer- 

 tained by experiment, aud the University would thus become the 

 depository, not only of useful information, but of samples of the 

 vast economical resources of the forests of Louisiana. 



During this session, botany has been introduced as a branch of 

 study in the University, and a course of lectures on that subject has 

 been commenced, and a small class, composed of zealous and atten- 

 tive students, has been organized. 



More time is required to accomplish successful^ the object of the 

 botanical survey. One month of the spring season, from the fifteenth 

 of April to the fifteenth of May, ought to be devoted to botanical 

 excursions, in order to collect as many spring plants as possible in 

 different parts of the State. 



To enable the botanist to take a wider range and pass through a 

 greater extent of country, it will be indispensably necessary to be 

 provided with a Jersey wagon or a vehicle of that kind, to carry 

 presses and drying papers along with him so as not to be restricted 

 to a central locality as a point of easy communication. Excursions 

 of this kind can not be made on horseback except for a short dis- 

 tance, and in most country neighborhoods I was compelled, because 

 no horse could be procured either for love or money, to travel on 

 foot for miles in the hot summer sun in order to reach localities I 

 desired to visit. 



The result of my labors are thus laid before you, and you are 

 able to judge how the duties devolved upon me have been per- 

 formed. 



